Take out your Civics book class and turn to Amendment. That’s right after Civil Service and You. Since the whacko nut jobs are coming out of the woodwork, and McCain is old, it pays to be reassured that if the unthinkable happens and the man who we want as President dies, the Constitution has it covered. Part of the 20th Amendment and the 25th Amendment come into play. But not really so the whole thing falls to Congress!

Remember: we don’t elect the President/Vice President. We elect electors who elect the President. That happens on November 4th and probably for a couple weeks after because of voting machine hack/malfunction/fraud.

Preferred timetable:

November 4, voters elect electors.

December 15, the Electoral College meets and they decides who will run our government.

January 6, Congress meets and certifies the Electoral College.

January 20, the President is sworn in and takes over.

Scenario 1: Election held, Electoral College elects President, President dies before January 20.

Resolution: Vice-president is sworn in as President.

Scenario 2: Election held, winner of popular vote dies before December 20.

There’s no federal law that mandates how electors must cast their votes; theoretically, if the candidate to whom they were pledged dies and their party has not made a preferred successor clear, electors can vote for their party’s VP candidate, a third-party candidate, or a leading preconvention contender within their own party.

In summary: it will be one borked up mess if the President-elect dies before the Electoral College meets. Seems to me the smart thing is to lock the winner of the popular vote up at Camp David until December 15.

Comments

OMG, I didn’t know that. I figured the VP would be elected. Let’s hope, God forbid, if McCain/Palin were to win and he died before the Electoral College voted, that the GOP would have enough sense to pick someone other than Palin!

Ooh shoot i just wrote a large comment and as soon as i strike reply it came up blank! Please inform me it worked correct? I dont want to upload it again if i don’t have to! Possibly the blog glitced out or i’m an idiot, the second option doesnt surprise me lol. many thanks for an excellent blog!